Car-step



J. R. MITCHELL.

. CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1921.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OI-IN R. MITCHELL, 0F HILLTOP, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILEY B. JOHNSON, OF CISMONT, VIRGINIA.

CAR-STEP.

7 Application filed May 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hilltop, in the county of Fayette and State of l/Vest Vir inia, have invented a new and useful (lartep, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an extension car ste for use in connection with the steps on railway cars whereby passengers can step readily from the roadbed or from the platform at a station onto the car step without necessitating the use of a stool or box such as commonly used.

Another object is to provide an extension step which can be made complete as an attachment and which can be applied readily to the steps of cars already in use, the con struction of the extension step being such that when the step is not in use it will be supported out of the way back of the lower car step where it can constitute a riser.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient means for supporting the step in active position.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion ofa car step and showing the extension step raised out of active position.

Fig. 2 is a section through the car step and showing the extension step in full lines out of active position and in dotted lines in extended or active position.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the side supports of the ordinary car steps the lower one of which has been indicated at 2. The attachment constituting the present invention includes a pair of attaching strips 3 the forward ends of which are turned downwardly and backwardly to form arcuate hangers 4 terminating at their lower ends in stop hooks 5. Supporting strips 6 are pivotally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

1921. Serial No. 467,728.

connected to the strips 3 where they merge into the hangers 4, the points of connection being indicated at 7. The free ends of these supporting strips are bent at angles and extend under the extension or supplemental step 8, as shown at 9. A handle 10 is connected to one edge of the step 8 between the supporting strips 6.

It is to be understood that the present invention is in the form of an attachment which can be readily placed in position. The strips 3 are attached to the supports 1 close to the top of the step 2 so that the curved hangers 4 will extend downwardly in front of and slightly under said step. As the supporting strips 6 are pivotally connected to the strips 3 the step 8 can swing upwardly, rearwardly and downwardly so as to be supported back of the step 2 and in contact with the rear edge thereof, the distance between the step 8 and the pivots 7 being slightly less than the distance between said pivots 7 and the rear edge of the step 2 so that when the step 8 is swung backwardly as described it will bind on the step 2 as shown by full lines in Fig. 2. While the step 8 is thus supported it constitutes a riser for the step 2 and it supports the handle 10 where it can be conveniently grasped.

lVhen it is desired to use the step 8 the same is swung forwardly and downwardly by means of the handle 10 and the strips 6 will move into and be stopped by the hooks 5 as shown in Fig. 2 by dotted lines.

lVhat is claimed is 1. An extension step attachment for car steps, comprising attaching strips, downwardly and backwardly curved hangers extending therefrom, stops at the lower ends of the hangers, supporting strips pivotally connected to the attaching strips, and a step fixedly attached to the supporting strips, said supporting strips being movable against the stops to hold the step in active position.

2. An attachment for railway car steps including attaching strips, hangers at the outer ends thereof, stops at the lower ends of the hangers, supporting strips pivotally connected to the attaching strips, an extension step fixedly attached to the supporting strips, and a handle connected to one edge of the extension step, said supporting strips being movable against the stops to hold the step in active position.

3. The combination with a car step and supports therefor, of attaching strips secured to the supports, hangers extending downwardly therefrom in front of and belOW the step, stops at the lower ends of the hangers, supporting strips pivotally connected to the attaching strips, an extension step fixedly attached to the supporting strips and movable back of and against the car step, the back edge of said car step constituting means for engaging and holding the extension step in upstandmg position to constitute a riser, and a handle upon one edge of the extension step, said supporting strips being movable forwardly and downwardly against the stops to support the extension step in front of and below the car step.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. V

JOHN R. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

M. P. MAHoNEY, G. P. PATUT. 

